Retarding device



" A. A. HORTON RETARDING DEVICE Flled Dec 21 1925 March 1 1927.

. INVENTOR 1,2 flLLE/V /7;HORTON ATTORNEY) Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN A. HORTON, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN, ASSIGHCR TO BUR-ROUGHS ADDING MACHINE COMPANY, A COR E'ORATION T3 MICHIGAN.

RETARDING DEVICE.

Application filed. December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,913.

The invention relates to a retarding devlce.

It relates particularly to a device for retarding the rotation of spools of paper used on adding machines, bookkeeping machines and the like. These machines are usually provided with a roll of paper that may vary in width and which rotates loosely on a shaft as the paper is fed under appropriate guides to a platen. The paper often lllll'OllS too rapidly, and it is desirable to have some means for retarding the paper roll to prevent it from unwinding except under the slight tension that is placed on it as it is fed to the platen. The present invention is directed to a simplified retarding device for this purpose.

The general object of the invention 1s to provide an improved retarding device for 20 spools.

A more particular object is to provide an improved retarding device for retarding paper rolls on accounting machines.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specifications and drawings.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings in which:

Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the rear end of an adding machine with the improved retarding device mounted on it.

Fig. 2, is a plan view and section of the paper roll and retarding device on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the retarding device with parts broken away.

Fig. 4, is a longitudinal cross section of the retarding device on the line l 1 of Fig. 3.

The device is illustrated in connection with an adding machine having a casing 1, a detachable frame 2, carrying a platen 3', and a paper roll or spool 4.

The paper spools are of varying width and size. The one illustrated is typical and comprises a roll of paper wound upon a wooden core 5 having a cylindrical opening through it of greater diameter than the shaft 6 upon which the roll is mounted. The shaft 6 passes through an opening in the left-hand frame member as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The retarding device includes a fiat metal plate 10 of suflicient width to give a substantial bearing surface against the end of the spool or roll. An arcuate slot 11 is provided in its outer end to receive the shaft 6 and its inner end has a tongue 12 shaped to fit into any one of a number of slots or openings 13 in a guide 14 which extends across the machine and serves as a guide for the paper'as it comes from the roll.

The shaft 6 is gradually narrowed in diameter at one or more points as shown in Fig. 2 to provide conical surfaces 15 and 16. These surfaces are located at appropriate points along the shaft to be adjacent the ends of paper rolls of differentwidths. The relative position ofoneof-thc conical si'zrfaccs and the end of a roll is illustrated in Fig. 2. The second surface 16 is located so as to occupy the same relative position to a wider roll than that illustrated. Although only two of these narrow portions are illustrated, it will be understood that the number may be varied to suit the requirements;

The plate 10 carries a spring 20 which extends into the slot 11 and contacts the conical surface when the member 10 is positioned with the shaft 6 in the slot 11. The spring 20 may be made in various shapes and attached to plate 11 in any suitable manner. In the form illustrated the plate 10 has a recess 21 covered by a plat-e 22 having a small inwardly extendinglug 23 projecting into the recess in plate 10 just above the end of the slot 11. Positioned within the recess 21 is the circular spring 20 having its two ends 24 and 25 bent inwardly and extending beyond the lug 23 as illustrated in Fig. 3. These two ends are preferably are shaped and they extend into the slot 11 where they are spaced apart a distance which is substantially equal to the smallest diameter of the shaft 6. This is the normal position of the ends of the spring but their resiliency permits them to be pushed apart by any object that is'inserted' into the. slot 11. The operation of the device is as follows:

After a paper roll has been placed on the shaft 6, the tongue 12 of the retarding device is inserted in the slot in the guide 14, corresponding to the width of the paper roll. The front end of the device is then pushed down over the shaft 6 which enters the slot 11. The conical portions of the shaft are located so that it is a portion of the conical surface of the shaft that moves into recess 11. As the shaft moves into the recess it spreads the ends 24 and 25 of the spring 20 which are thus forced apart and held in a restrained position. The resiliency of the spring tends to cause the ends to move toward one another. This tends to cause the springs to slide down the conical surface toward the spool. This action moves the plate 10 against the spool and the strength of the spring-is such that the biasing action against the spool is sufficient to retard its free rotation without preventing the paper being unwound by the pull that feeds it to the platen.

The advantage of the device is that it is simple, inexpensive and easy to manipulate. It makes use of the shaft 6 for part of its action. It is easily adjustable to paper rolls or spools of different width. It is neat in appearance, occupies very little space, and is not difiicult to'manufacture.

It is to be understood that the structure shown is for purposes of illustration only and that variations may be made in it Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. i

I claim:

1. The combination in an accounting machine, of a paper spool mounted for rotation, a member held against rotation and positioned to engage said spool, a second member having a surface inclined toward said spool, and means carried by the first member in resilient engagement with the inclined surface of the second member to urge said first member into engagement with the s 001.

2. he combination in an accounting machine, of a paper spool mounted for rotation, a member held against rotation and adapted to engage the end of the spool, a second member having a surface inclined toward the end of the spool, and means carried by the first member in resilient engagement with the inclined surface on the second member to urge the first member into engagement with the end of the spool.

The combination in an accounting machine of a paper spool mounted for rotation, a member held against rotation and adapted to engage the end of the spool, a second member having a conical surface inclined inwardly toward the spool, resilient means carried by the first member grasping the conical surface on the second member to urge the first member into engagement with the spool.

at. In a retarding device, a shaft upon which a spool may be mounted for rotation, said shaft having an inclined surface, a member adapted to fit over said shaft and to engage the end ofa spool mounted thereon, said member carrying resilient means bearing against the inclined surface on the shaft to bias the member into engagement vith the end of a spool.

5. In a retarding device, a shaft on which a spool may be mounted, said shaft having a conical surface thereon, a member fitting over the shaft and adapted to engage the end of a spool mounted on the shaft, said member carrying resilient means embracing the conical surface on the shaft to resiliently force the member into engagement with the end of a spool.

6. In a retarding device, a member having a surface inclined toward a spool, a second member having one end shaped to engage a stop and the other end provided with a recess to receive the first member, and a spring carried by the second member projecting into the recess to contact the inclined surface on the first member.

7. In a retarding device, a plate member provided with a tongue on one end and a slot adjacent its other end, and a spring carried by the member and having portions projecting into the slot.

8. A retarding device having a plate member provided with a. slot near its end, a re cess in the face. of the plate, a cover for the recess having a slot coincident with the slot in the plate, and a spring positioned in the recess and projecting into the slot.

9. A retarding device having a plate member provided witha slot near one end, a recess in the face of the plate near the slot, a cover plate for said recess having a projection extending into the recess above the end of the slot, and acircular spring positioned in the recess having its two ends reversed upon themselves and positioned on opposite sides of the projection, said bent ends being are shaped and the uppermost portions of the arcs extending into the recess.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

ALLEN A. HORTON. 

